P&O Cruises Online Check-in – how does it work?

P&O Cruises online check-in makes it easier to prepare for your holiday. All you need to do is enter a few key details and you’ll soon be sailing away to incredible destinations, knowing your embarkation has been as easy and stress-free as possible. Here’s a quick guide to answer all your key questions.

What does online check-in for a cruise mean?

Pretty much what it sounds like, and similar to when checking in online for a flight, you’ll be able to log your passenger details, register a credit card and print your boarding pass before you arrive at the terminal.

What are the advantages of checking in online?

By checking in online, before your sailing, you’ll join a shorter queue when you reach the terminal, get your cabin card quicker and of course, start your holiday sooner!

How will I know if I can use P&O Cruises online check-in?

You’ll get an email direct from P&O Cruises to prompt you. You’ll need your name, date of birth and booking reference to login. You can log in using any device.

How do I check-in online for my P&O Cruises holiday?

In order to check-in online, you will need:

  • Your booking reference
  • Passport details
  • A passport-style photograph for each guest
  • Payment card

The passport-style photograph will be applied to your account and used by crew on the gangway to identify you as you disembark and embark the ship.

Why do I need to provide a payment card when I check in for my cruise?

A credit or debit card is added to your onboard account to cover any expenses you incur during your holiday. If, for example, you haven’t opted for a P&O Cruises drinks package, then any drinks you have will be charged directly to your onboard account. The same goes for spa treatments, shop purchases and anything else you might treat yourself to during the cruise. This means you don’t need to carry cash around, enabling you to enjoy your time on board without your wallet. Bonus!

At the end of your holiday, you will receive a statement outlining all your expenses – however, you can easily keep track of this throughout your cruise by checking the on-screen information in your cabin, or requesting a statement from reception. If you want, you can choose to settle your bill in cash. Otherwise, the balance will be taken from the card you registered during check-in.

If I’ve checked in online, what happens when I arrive at the Southampton cruise terminals?

You’ll be met at the terminal by staff who will scan your passport on hand held devices and a cruise card will be printed for you containing the picture on your passport. From there, you’ll progress through security as usual and embark at your designated embarkation time.

When is online check-in available?

Online check-in for your cruise is available from the moment you get your email from P&O Cruises and closes the day before you sail.

Can my Travel Agent carry out my P&O Cruises online check-in for me?

For security reasons, you will need to login and carry out your own online check-in, your Cruise Expert won’t be able to do this for you.

What if I don’t want to check-in for my P&O Cruise online?

If you don’t want to complete online check-in, don’t worry, you will still be able to check-in at the terminal as usual.

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View Comments

  • We are flying to Tenerife to board azura for cruise do we attach the paper luggage details for the flight or can we attach them at the cruise terminal as they are only paper we already have labels attached for the flight

    • Hello! We recommend that you attach the paper labels before the flight, plus print out a couple of extra just in case of loss or damage.

  • Hi we have booked a cruise flying to Malta..
    Printed luggage labels.
    It’s Saying all complete to print boarding passes, but then says on my husbands photo he had to log in?

    • Hi Susan, If your husband's photo is already loaded, but has the message underneath, please ignore and you're OK to board with your boarding passes. It's because you're logged in under your details so cant amend your husbands photo.

  • I am about to go on my first cruise, tomorrow, and have printed off my boarding passes which seem to cover the ship but not the flight out from Manchester. Do these passes also act as boarding passes for the flight?

  • I am a first time cruiser. i have booked a P&O fly cruise to the Caribbean departing flights are from Birmingham. However my flight is with TUI. I have printed off my cruise boarding passes. However i don't have a reference number to print off my flight boarding passes.

    Any advice would be appreciated

    • Hi Angela,

      If you'd like to give our Cruise Experts a call and we can help you with this.

  • we have just had a email to say we can check in on line for our cruise.But when I try to it will not let me. I am on the j301 ship ,and we are doing a leg from bangkok to southhamton. it lets me print our luggage labels. can you give me some advice pleasa

    • Hi Lesley,

      If you'd like to give our administration team a call on 01246 813133 and we can look into this for you.

  • I have printed boarding passes but it is just showing return flight from Barbados is this correct no details regarding flight from London

    • Hi Christine, your boarding pass is for the cruise and doesn't show any flight details. You don't need anything to check in at the airport, just your passport. All flight information can be found on your flight confirmation and Cruise Personalsier, including any seats purchased. Thank you.

  • Hi, printed out my Boarding pass for both of us, both both just showing my name and not my husbands.Is there 1 boarding pass per cabin?

    • Hi Jane, it should print out both boarding passes if everything is complete for all passengers. If you need any assistance with this please contact us. Thank you.

  • We are a party of 10 but booked as individual couples and did not link our bookings we have two booking in times 2 hours apart can we all arrive together thanks

    • Hi Christie, you can all arrive together at the latest check-in time you have. Thank you.

  • Hi
    I have printed my outbound boarding passes but no option or showing return boarding passes.
    How do I get my return passes

    Paula

    • Hi Paula, if you're travelling on a P&O charter flight, you don't need a ticket for the flight, you can just check in at the airport. If it isn't, please call us and we can confirm this for you. Thank you.

  • I have a question i want to book a cruise at 17 December to 2 January but my passport expire in 17 of January is ok to make chek in whit this passport?
    Ia all right to go and come backin uk?
    Is a Romanian passport not British.. Please let me now if i can book whith this passport, regards Stefan

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